Christopher B.

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Greetings dear OH friends...

I have been on the weight roller coaster...as we all have been and now I am very encouraged on a new journey. I have been plateaud at about 250 for past 2 years or so. Not horrible, but certainly not where I was 1 year after surgery. I began my journey in 2009 getting ready for my surgery at @365lbs...I lost about 25 preop so I went into surgery about 335 or so. 1 year later I weighed 179lbs and in the best shape in my life. .... 7 years later, well the lbs have crept back on. Age, habits, and poor decisions put 71 lbs back on. That's my fault!!!

I've decided to reconnect with OH. A friend was asking me about surgery as she is struggling with her weight - that got me thinking - why did I leave? Why disconnect with the people, the best people, who understand the daily struggle that is food and weight? So part of my new direction is going to be this community.

I have been given a gift, my health...and I need to take care of it. About a month ago I was on facebook and a gal from church was asking if anyone would be willing to take part in a BeachBody challenge group. Well Beachbody and my body seem like complete opposities but I was very interested as I have been so tired of my choices and lack of direction. I started the program at 249lbs...I have been exercising each day, following a meal plan (which I have modified for my smaller portions) which included more fruit/vegetables/protiens etc, and cut out the junk food on a regular basis. I had fallen into the trap of drinking pop again....I KNOW...I tolerated the discomfort because I enjoyed the fizz...I am now POP free...in fact cleared the house of it. I have a treat every now and then...just not everyday...well this morning weighed in at 229.2. and feel great.

I am doing the P90 series and find them fun, not always easy but I love that they have modifiers! I have a goal...that before and after picture on my page showed me one year after surgery at 179...that's where I want to be..and stay. But now I KNOW that to stay it's gonna take work...every day. 

I will get there, I pray that all of you on OH are taking care of yourselves, doing the right things. And when you fall, you pick yourselves up again..and when it's hard, no we are here to help you out! 

God Bless, and I cannot wait to share more next week...this is my goal, once a week check ins! 

Chris

Seems like the Old rollercoaster..back on, back off, back on, back off. There needs to be an end to it. I was up to 238 over the holidays and finally said - Dammit that's enough. Cookies, snacks, breads, cereals, potatoes...I would eat them then feel like shit, but later eat them again. I am tired of it - clothes I was so proud to be able to wear don't fit anymore - I WANT THAT BACK! I am going to take it back!

I wiped the guilt clean this week, I wiped the excuses clean this week - I know I can't afford a gym - but I can get up and move. I know I hate tracking my food, but I know it helps. I got into the bad habit of drinking diet pop even though I knew it was bad, even hurt sometimes...done with it! I have wiped it all clean - that's OK to do. The only one who can make the start and get over the crappy mistakes you make is yourself. This is not some new years resolution - this is my personal revolution - I have to FIGHT myself to be healthy and happy.

Isn't that funny - it's our own selves who get in the way of our own happiness and healthiness. Nobody else!!!  Well, screw me - I am not going to let me ruin me!!!   (that is one of stupidest sounding things I think I have ever thought or wrote - but I think it might be on track!)  SO I am going to overcome myself! I can succeed where I have failed. I know I can, and I know I will.

There...new slate...new dream...on route to the me I know I can be!

God Bless you all!!!

Chris

Dear OH Friends,

How I have fallen! I am almost 4 years out - in January - and I have gained to where I am 230lbs. I was down to 178 at one time - my excercise was awesome, my eating and water intake was awesome - I do not know how I have reverted to all the old habits - dt. pop, carbs, sugar, it's all bad. I know it, but doing it is a whole different thing. I can, but just need to. ughh, my clothes are tight, I do not want to go and have to buy new clothes to fit, just need to get my ass in gear, stop being lazy and eat properly. Water water too.

I know there are others who are struggling with this too, we need each other. I always seem hungry too - is that happening with others? Perhaps it's the protein thing - but more in my head.

 

Chris

Dear Friends,
Happy New Year - so hard to beleive it has been nearly 2 years since my surgery - will be on January 18! wow. I am still doing pretty good - I weight in at about 191lbs...up from my lowest of about 169, but I beleive I am at or close to my hopeful healthy staeady weight. I do need to make some changes as my eating habits have been not the best. I also need to recommit myself to exercising. I was doing so well and once school started this last fall have found myself not getting to the gym.
I want to run the half marathing (will be my 3rd) in May so I have some goals to work towards - so I am going to get to the gym now in January and work on strength, stretching, and some general cardio until Ealry March when I begin my running program - so I have 2 good months to get back into the routine before I begin running. I am hoping for some more snow too so I can get out and use my snowshoes I got last Christmas.
I have felt pretty good overall. As I mentioned I have gained a bit of weight back but still have been under 200 which is a positive. I get on the scale and tell myself how in the world have I not gained weight with some of the poor choices I have made - thank God for the surgery which has helped - BUT - I need to stick to the things that will help me long term, as I am at risk of losing control.
Christmas was hard - so many temptations - I did not do well. I even found some of the clothes I bought at my lowest are pretty snug now - I do not like that, but then again - being 169lbs was pretty small - but I would like to get down to 175-180...so about 10-15 lbs less than right now. I can do it I know - but good choices need to be the norm, not a every now and then.
Well - I think I will get on OH a little more - it hepls me to think and focus, need to get to a support meeting in Fargo too - been almost 5 months or more - but it's hard with the kid's schedule to get up to Fargo for just an hour meeting - but it is important too!
Hope everyone has been doing well - and has a very Happy New Year!
Chris

Hey friends,
Wow - it has been quite a while since I have been on OH - and it's been too long. Good to see how people are doing. I have been doing very well.

Just participated in the Fargo Marathon this past weekend. Rant he 5K on Friday night 27:00 flat (10 minutes less than a year ago! wow) and then ran the Half Marathon on Sat. Ran it in 2hr 17 minutes! I never in my wildest dreams would have thought I could have ran for over 2 hours!!! Incredible. So thankful for the changes in my life.

I have gained about 10 pounds in the past 5 months - not sure but I know that I have eaten more with the increased exercise - sometimes not the best foods. I sat down today and started to map out a different eating schedule - hungry already though - so it will take some time to get back into the mindset. I am going to cut back on running for about 4 weeks and then start training to run the Dick Beardsley Half Marathon in Detroit Lakes - which will be in Sept.

Got out my food journal and am going to focus on doing it for the next 4 weeks as well - hope to strengthen my body through some weight training and cut some pounds through focusing on intake. Also really need to focus on habits - some old habits creeping back into play - but I am aware, and know that I can overcome them with patience, dedication, and hard work!

Well...off to the gym right now - God Bless all my friends -and stay positive cause negative sucks!!

Blessings,
Chris

Hey everyone -
Well have been running, running, running! literaly! I signed up for the Fargo Marathon GOFAR Challenge - the 5K Friday then the Half Marathin on Sat. So I have started my training. Unforunately with MN weather I am stuck right now on the treadmill. Soon enough I will get outside. But it is good to have goals and motivation to keep moving.

I weigh in right now at about 182lbs. I sort of go up and down a couple lbs depending on the day and my activity/eating level. I have found that it is hard to learn how to eat when you exercise a lot. I am hungry, and some of the old habits creep in...but the exercise really helps moderate my weight. I would like to get back down to about 170 - I was there a couple months ago - but I do beleive I have gained some muscle mass back from my quick weight loss.

Something cool that has happened is I had this photo shoot back before Christmas - well my wife's cousin sent me a picture from when she was at the clinic the other day! WOW - to see your own picture so large is pretty neat!


Well - gotta run - keep on keepin on!
Blessings,
Christopher

Well Fols - it has been 1 year! To everyone who had surgery on Januray 18 - congrats on a year of ups and downs (hopefully much down on the scale!) and 1 year in the books on our new way of life!

I feel great - need to lose about 10-15 lbs to get to my goal  - which is about 165lbs. I hope to be there by May when I run the Fargo Half Marathon - I am not in a hurry on these last 15. I need to be smart about it! I would like to tighten up my body, do some wieght lifting along with my cardio. SO I think that will help.

Blessing to you all - keep up the good fight - sipsipsip, and remember protien first!!!! I know I will never forget it!!

Chris

I like this pic!

To think a year ago I was preparing for my surgery - on this date weighed about 315lbs or so and was downright scared to think about what lie ahead! Now...a year later - I weigh about 175-180 (depending on the day it seems!) feel great, and know that I have all the tools to live a healthy life for a long time.

With that said, I know I have been slipping a little. Snacking too much, eating things that I know are not good for me. I have been getting my protien  - but too much of the other stuff too. I also have not been drinking my water as I should.

You see, I know what I need to do, I just need to do it! That's what really got me to my place where I was a year ago -before I had surgery!  But not again. I need to get the snack stuff out of my head, and truthfully out of my site (Christmas goodies have been a horrible temptation!).

One positive is that I have been sticking to my exercise - and I think if I had not I would see an increase with my wieght. The excercise has helped me to really stay where I am at. But , duh, if I want to lose another 10 lbs - all I need to do is stick with the things I need to do, and exercise - c'mon Christopher - you know it!

I think the biggest challenge in the new year is not eating, not exercise - it's psychological! Keeping my head right - taking the knowledge I know and putting it into practice. Figthing against all those old urges - snack, overeat, etc. I was up in the kitched 15 minutes ago and found myself looking for food! I litterally TOLD myself to stop - went and got my Crystal light and said - just wait, half and hour til my protien snack!!  

I really do admire those who have had this surgery and are years out and have maintained their success. That will be me! I was told a long time ago (in a mislead business venture) that successful people do the little things that people who fail are unwilling to do! I know all the little things - take that from my head and put it into practice is the little things that I know will make me successful!


So - new year, new challenges - new me! I am so very happy.

So here are some of my goals for the new year!
 - Finish my Director of Christian Education Education (I have one class left!)
- Snowshoe - I got snowshoes for Christmas, I plan to use them a lot!
-Run a half Marathon (just registered for the Fargo Half this morning!)
-Spend time with my family...OK a lot of time!
 - Drink my water
-Snack when it is time - not inbetween!
-Exercise, Exercise, Exercise!
-Build some muscle
-Date my wife...we need this!
-Smile..even more than I already do!

Blessings to you all - Happy New Year!!!

Christopher

Well it is almost Thanksgiving and it is incredible to think about where I was a year ago. About this time a year ago we had family pictures taken, I went hunting for the first time, and I was just about ready to begin my 6 week pre-op weight loss diet on the 1st of December. I look back at some of those pictures and I wonder who that was! I think about how I felt at that time, and wonder how I continued to do it everyday. I was miserable, I think this might be the first time I really have admited that - I was miserable. There was little I liked about myself other than who I was. I have liked who I was -  just really see now that I truely did not like how I was. Make sence?

So now, almost a year from the beginning of my journey which would bring me to my surgery on January 18th - I am a changed person - I still like who I am, but now I really do like HOW I am! This morning I weighed in at 178.6lbs. I am about 8 lbs from my goal, and I know if I really work hard I can get there. I would like to be at my goal weight or under by Christmas - wouldn't that be the best present ever!!
I have pretty much been symptom free since surgery, however yesterday I had some pain, did not feel like eating, and really was not a happy camper. 1st time. I don't know why - I had chili for lunch - but had some pretzel things a little later in the day - I think maybe I have been cheeting too muh on some things like pretzels and crackers too much. although I try and find things lower in carbs and with a lttle protien in them. But something just was not right - I did take a prilosec and that really seemed to help me out - but boy, it hurt a lot. Need to keep an eye on that if it persists.  I do feel better today, but still have that ache in my gut that something happened yesterday. I was drinking liquids too - so it's was not dehydration. I need a break though too - maybe it was my body saying - rest!

I still am fatigued, have been drinking coffee more than every (maybe that effects the stomach too!) I feel awfully bad for my wife - it seems I am so tired in the evening so often, and with this new man she has she is more interested in sex than ever before - before I was always interested - now I don't have the drive, or am too tired. I feel real bad, but what can you do. I try and drink coffee at like 7PM to help keep me awake - even started a supplement program to boost my testosterone - don't know if that is helping - if she was willing in the morning I could go forever, but with 3 kids to get off to school and for me to get to work that is not realistic. I hope Dr. Monson's explanation that this hormonal and will change after time is true - it could have major affects on our relationship. I do have to laugh a little though - cause when I was horny as could be before surgery - she often was not interested - not the tables have turned (although I am sure for very different reasons!!)

Well - hope everyone is doing well , sticking with the right decisions - I wish you all well with the upcoming holiday season - awesome thing about turkey - protien baby!!! Just gotta avoid the Pumpkin pie!! lol
Take care,
Christopher

Had my  7 month appointment and my bmi was 29.6! Officially out of the Obese category and now just overweight! Fantastic - especially since my bmi was like 53 to begin with!